Skip to main content

I already damaged my Apple Watch Series 10

i already damaged my apple watch series 10 dt 1
Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends

I don’t think I’m clumsy, but I swing my arms a lot and still grimace every time a smartwatch on my wrist hits an immovable object. Yet, for all this movement, I’ve never managed to deeply scratch or lightly crack an Apple Watch display … until now.

The Apple Watch Series 10 doesn’t have many compromises over the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and I even made the switch permanently before this happened. It’s big, thin, and beautiful, but the Apple Watch Series 10 also uses a less durable protective shield for its display.

Recommended Videos

Is aluminum less durable than titanium, at least in a way you can feel? What about the differences in the type of glass used? Could these be factors in the damage to my watch, or was this just a one-off? Let’s dig a bit deeper into what happened.

How durable is the Apple Watch Series 10?

Someone wearing the Apple Watch Series 10 and resting their arm
Joe Maring / Digital Trends

The Apple Watch Series 10 is an anomaly. It’s not Apple’s most premium smartwatch — that’s the Apple Watch Ultra 2 — but Apple also had to go big for the watch’s 10th anniversary. The result is a watch that’s thinner, lighter, and more premium-feeling than the Apple Watch Ultra 2.

The Apple Watch Series 10 is half the price of the Apple Watch Ultra 2, which means Apple had to make some trade-offs. These weren’t in the display, as the 1.96-inch display is the biggest ever on an Apple Watch. The biggest compromise is in the durability of the materials used in the build.

The back of the titanium and aluminum Apple Watch Series 10 cases.
A titanium Apple Watch Series 10 (left) and an aluminum Apple Watch Series 10 Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is MIL-STD 810H certified for protection against drops and features sapphire crystal glass on the front, a titanium frame, and a ceramic/sapphire crystal back. The Apple Watch Series 10, meanwhile, uses an aluminum frame with Ion-X glass on the front. Then there’s the titanium Series 10, which costs almost the same as the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and has a nicer sapphire display. I’ve got the aluminum Series 10, which theoretically is the least durable of the three.

How I think I broke my Apple Watch Series 10

Apple Watch Series 10 display on the homescreen with a crack on the screen
Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends

It’s strange. I can normally remember when a gadget may have been damaged, but I’m drawing a blank on the Apple Watch Series 10. There are no memorable drops or bangs that I can recall. I thought I had protected it, at least until I noticed the large crack you can see in the pictures above and below.

The crack is right along the top-left edge of the screen, and it’s a deep scratch or a light crack that I mistook for a light scratch. It feels like a shallow crack and measures over half an inch, but there doesn’t seem to be underlying damage.

Damaged Apple Watch Series 10 on an arm that's wresting on a table
Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends

It’s a shame: I can’t stop noticing it, and it bugs me every time I see it. The 1.96-inch display is the biggest ever on an Apple Watch, and measuring 9.4mm, the Apple Watch Series 10 is impossibly thin and light. It’s the ideal Apple Watch for everyone, even if the battery life isn’t that impressive. I love using it, but this mysterious crack is putting a damper on things.

A problem or just a one-off?

A person wearing the titanium Apple Watch Series 10.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Thin doesn’t always mean durable; besides battery life, durability was my second main concern. A bigger display, a thinner build, and the use of Ion-X instead of the more premium Ceramic Shield glass in the Ultra 2 all lend themselves to lower durability for the Series 10.

To answer whether this was a wider problem, I turned to my Digital Trends colleagues Joe Maring and Andy Boxall to understand their experiences using the Apple Watch Series 10. Joe published our Apple Watch Series 10 review and has used it since, while Andy has used both the aluminum and titanium versions.

I haven’t felt the need to baby the Series 10, I have confidence in its durability. — Andy Boxall

Joe has treated his aluminum Series 10 similarly to mine with better results. Despite slamming it against at least one wall, it still looks brand new. He also has the Jet Black version, and thankfully, Apple has learned from the lessons of the Jet Black iPhone 7, as there’s no wear and tear, and it still looks as new.

The glass on the titanium and aluminum Apple Watch Series 10 cases.
A titanium Apple Watch Series 10 (left) and an aluminum Apple Watch Series 10 Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Andy has been wearing the titanium Apple Watch Series 10 — the successor to the stainless steel version of previous years — since launch day. He’s put it through the wringer, wearing it during everything from housework and handwashing cars to furniture removals and a household rubbish clearance. His titanium Series 10 and the accompanying Milanese Loop still look brand new as well, and he’s confident in its ability to stay that way, stating, “I haven’t felt the need to baby the Series 10, I have confidence in its durability.”

The case for the Titanium case

The screens on the titanium and aluminum Apple Watch Series 10 cases.
A titanium Apple Watch Series 10 (left) and an aluminum Apple Watch Series 10 Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Andy has confidence in the durability of the Apple Watch Series 10, and I think my experience makes a strong case to buy the more premium titanium model of the Series 10. There are a few reasons why this makes sense, as long as paying the $300-plus premium doesn’t scare you.

First, there’s the build and style. The aluminum entry-level Series 10 will most likely withstand anything you can throw at it, but there’s a sizeable jump in protection offered by the titanium model. You retain the same big, thin, and beautiful design, but you get better protection all-around.

A person wearing the titanium Apple Watch Series 10.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Second, there are the bands. I haven’t tried the new titanium Milanese Loop, but I’ve used the previous generation made from stainless steel for years, and this new band matches the titanium Series 10 beautifully (as shown in the photo above).

Lastly, there’s included connectivity. If you’re thinking of buying the aluminum model with GPS and cellular, it will cost you $499. For $200 more, you can get the titanium model that comes with GPS and cellular radios included as standard.

One final thing to note

Damaged Apple Watch Series 10 on an arm that's wresting on a table with the display on
Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends

There’s one final component to this story: AppleCare+. I love it, and I usually protect all of my products on a rolling annual basis. The one difference is usually the Apple Watch; I often buy AppleCare+ on a monthly plan and cancel it after a few months. Thankfully, I had already purchased it for this Apple Watch.

For $4 per month (or $79 for two years), it is ideal for scenarios like this (or worse). However, it’s only covered against damage — there’s no theft or loss protection like the iPhone — and each claim has a fee of $79.

I’ll probably use AppleCare+ to fix or replace my damaged Apple Watch, but unlike the iPhone or iPad, there’s no immediate fix available in-store. Instead, it will be sent off to a repair depot, and it will likely take a week to be returned.

Regardless, if you’re concerned about the durability of your new Apple Watch, don’t be. My experience is an anomaly even among three of us who have put the Apple Watch Series 10 through its paces. If you’re still concerned and your budget stretches to it, look at the titanium model, but if the premium is too high, AppleCare+ is a good alternative.

Nirave Gondhia
Nirave is a creator, evangelist, and founder of House of Tech. A heart attack at 33 inspired him to publish the Impact of…
Future Apple Watches could tell you if you’re at risk for diabetes
Someone wearing an original Apple Watch Ultra showing the weather app.

An apple a day might keep the doctor away, but an Apple device on your wrist could replace them altogether. Well, sort of. The Apple Watch is already chock-full of health-focused applications, but according to a recent report from Mark Gurman, an app for testing blood sugar levels is in development.

Apple has always been good at keeping a lid on its projects, but that approach has reached the next level with this app. Multiple layers of non-disclosure agreements and vetting were required before anyone could participate in the employee-only trial, so details regarding the progress of this app are limited. However, it's another step toward needle-free measurements of your blood sugar levels.

Read more
This Apple Watch tech might make your iPhone better
The screens on the titanium and aluminum Apple Watch Series 10 cases.

According to Korea's The Elec (via MacRumors), LTPO3 display technology, which was first utilized in the Apple Watch Series 10, may also be adapted for future iPhones. This new technology improves both power efficiency and display performance.

On the flagship Apple Watch Series 10, LTPO3 enables Apple to optimize each pixel to emit more light at wider angles and improve battery efficiency.  As a result, the display is 40% brighter than on the previous model, the Apple Watch Series 9, which employed LTPO2. The newer technology also allows for a faster refresh rate when the watch is in always-on mode.

Read more
The iOS 18.2 beta, with new Apple Intelligence features, is here
iOS 18.2 update notification on an iPhone.

Apple has just rolled out the first beta of iOS 18.2, merely a day after seeding a release candidate version of the iOS 18.1 build. The latest beta brings some of the biggest Apple Intelligence features to the table.

The first one is ChatGPT integration. When users bring up Siri and ask it a question the assistant can’t handle, the request will be offloaded to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. “Users are asked before any questions are sent to ChatGPT, along with any documents or photos, and Siri then presents the answer directly,” Apple says.

Read more